Arigato
by AnotherKindOfAsian
Summary: Arigato means 'Thank You,' and in this world, we are enough of fools to thank the evil things disguised as heaven's sent.
1. Rose Colored Glasses

**Okaaaaayyyyy, SO I decided not to bore anyone with a thousand chapter story with short chapters, so this is a long two/three-shot. I'm planning on doing a NejiTen one only because of Strawberry Shake…this is my return for the cupcake;]. Enjoy it, of course, SasuSaku! **

**Disclaimer: I-DO-NOT-OWN-NARUTO mkay 3333333333333**

_Arigato_

_(Thank You)_

_By,_

_AnotherKindOfAsian_

Sakura was furiated. First, _**he **_came back, and then _THIS?! _One thing was sure; life was cruel, and handsome, so very…very…handsome. Sasuke had come back. And do you know what this biscuit eating bulldog did to get out of jail? He said how he killed Orochimaru and how he could tell them vital information about Akatsuki (A/N: The whole Pain coming to Konoha arc does not happen ion my fic, mkay?).

Then Tsunade became the wicked witch. If only she wasn't stronger than her, Sakura would have taken her down. This is how it went down:

Sasuke came back

Tsunade wanted to become a matchmaker

She and Sasuke got engaged

Isn't it enough for him to be on the same team as her again, but this…? As always, Sasuke never complained. He actually told Sakura, "I'm sorry…" At first note, she was baffled but then she composed herself and smiled gently, "I forgave you a long time ago, Sasuke…-kun." Sasuke made a crooked smile at the suffix and _**sighed**_. Sakura then thought Sasuke's little apology back then was just a charade for her to play along. That little…mph! (A/N: Okay, as corny as this might sound, I don't want to curse in this fic, so please excuse the weird word choices!!)

Going back to the time Tsunade told them about how they were to be married she said, "Sakura, you rejected so many good offers, and Sasuke…well you don't know any girl as well as you do Sakura right?" She expected an answer. "You're right." His words were always few. Sakura hated that about him.

Then he surprised both of them. "Well I always expected this but," he turned to look at Sakura, "She always dreamed of that sunset honeymoon kind of wedding…so, well, Y'know…" He really, really hoped they were catching on. Sakura scoffed, and Tsunade quirked an eyebrow. He stared at Sakura and said…

"HE ASKED YOU TO BE HIS GIRLFRIEND?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" No matter how many times you tell Ino to keep her voice down, this is as low as it would get. Tenten, Hinata, and the guys got it. Why couldn't she? He just didn't want to feel 'rushed' and make it feel 'natural.'

"Well now that all of Konoha knows, are you going to be a bridesmaid or what?" Ino was confused, "But you just said he asked you to be his girlfriend…marriage?" While Sakura muffled Ino as she told her about the whole 'Tsunade gone love nuts' story, Sasuke walked in with the guys, and Hinata and Tenten. He had asked Neji, Naruto (of course), and Shikamaru to be his groomsmen. During practice the day after the 5th's little announcement, it was awkward. Sakura felt a little alone as Sasuke went into the forest to tell Naruto, a little while later she thanked him because she then heard a simply gruesome voice yelling at Sasuke.

While Naruto was trying his best to pulverize Sasuke, the said ninja just nonchalantly blurred in and out of Naruto's vision, Sakura of course could see him. She was just that special. He then just leaned against the railing, across from Sakura, as he always had. Then Naruto calmed down, his composure was still. "Oh just _**greeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttt!!**_" Sasuke sighed as he realized that Naruto was just getting ready to go into Sage mode. This would get messy.

Naruto lifted his head to reveal horizontally laid eyes and clenched fists. Sasuke had to stop him, now, before he could make a scene. "Do-Naruto, I don't get it, why are you so riled up? It's not like you were dating her." That wasn't as sharp as it would sound; it came in a soft, but loud voice. Like a strong breeze. Naruto's eyes did not calm, they blazed. At that moment, with his simply impeccable timing, Kakashi settled it, "If you want to fight, do it on the battlefield." It had been almost seven years (this means they're 20) since they fought, time to see who came farther.

Being in an I-have-been-waiting-years-to-see-this-battle mood, Sakura was sitting with her back against the middle of a Sakura tree, she was up about twenty feet. And, yet again, with her perfect eyes this distance was nothing. Also, being Sasuke's girlfriend/fiancée, it was her job to cheer on Sasuke. This was quite a shock seeing as how she always supported Naruto until the end. Sasuke left all his weapons by Sakura, Naruto did not. Sakura worried. But Sasuke seemed to pay more attention to her than the battle.

As Naruto saw how Sasuke wasn't giving it his 100% while as he was already sweating bullets, his rage blinded him and he activated his rasengan. How he did regret that. Sasuke automatically shot Sakura a warning glance, and she saw it. Not one of "I'm going to hurt him, so be ready to heal him, " but " be careful, he doesn't recognize me or you, and he won't limit himself to one opponent." Sakura cradled Sasuke's weapons bag in her hand, of course she was holding it, but now she had a grasp that would make it easy to get the contents out quicker.

He made his move, attacking Sasuke head on with a Rasengan, and then using a Shadow clone to hit him from behind, they could hear Sakura smirk/laugh at Naruto's old trick. Again, Sasuke blurred out of appearance and appeared behind Naruto, chidori crackling behind Naruto's neck. "Stand down." Naruto did not. Or should I say, the demon did not, he instead blindingly fast did a shadow clone and sent it out. Not towards Sasuke, but towards Sakura. "Oh Shoot!" (So corny!) Sasuke hissed, and as Sakura leaped she was caught off guard by a rasengan behind her, she was cornered, and in an instant she felt something grasp her, and spin her away, to safety. She thought it was Kakashi. It was, you guessed it, Sasuke.

Sakura made no cry, no tears fell, but she did gasp, trying to stall these unshed tears, she quickly glared at Naruto, and with a speed only Sasuke could match, she knocked him out, still glaring with full force at the unconscious man's body. She then blurred to Sasuke and saw he was sitting up, his stomach and backed burned by the intense power of the wind attack. She appeared behind Sasuke and said, "Trust me." He bent his neck down, and she knocked him unconscious. He woke up two minutes later, in the apartment they shared and on his bed (they have separate beds people), with Naruto sloppily laid on the floor. He checked his wristwatch, two minutes. Nice job, Sakura, he saw how Naruto was shivering, so he stepped out of the covers and covered Naruto. He could hear Sakura turning Tenten and Neji down at the door, in a flash he was beside her and said, "Sorry, we have a fox in our midst." That was the codeword for Naruto went crazy so we need to let him rest. "Why?" Neji and Tenten said simultaneously, Neji with a bit harder of an edge. Sakura tuned away, too furious for words.

Sasuke answered with a very simple, "He didn't accept it." Tenten then saw how Sasuke was shirtless, and how he had bandages wrapped around his torso, "He did that…?" Tenten was puzzled, like Naruto could land a hit on Sasuke. "No, he was protecting me…if only he could accept it! I don't understand why he can't!" Sakura's eyes were brimming with tears as she tried to turn her face away.

"No, don't mind. " Sasuke held her very close, "No, no! Don't you try to make me feel better! If only he had accepted it, you…you…you would be fine…" Sasuke was choking in Sasuke's chest. He froze then relaxed, this is what she was worried about. "Yea right, and you expect me to let you get hurt, wow Sakura. I thought you would be smart enough to know I wouldn't let a leaf fall on you." She was angry at first, he did call her stupid, but then when his words processed in, she found the tears had stopped, and that his bandages were wet. "Oh God! I got them all wet," she sniffled "You guys just come and get seated, I'll fix his bandages and we'll talk some more…maybe double-dates?" Tenten blushed scarlet as Neji glared at Sakura. "He's softening, and not only towards her." They both agreed as they heard the fiancée's footsteps end as they entered the room they seemed to come out of.

They came in to find Naruto sitting up, his legs parted, his head down, and his hands clamped behind his neck, with his elbows on his thighs. He looked up to find what he had heard true. "Sasuke…I-to you, no Sakura-chan…" Naruto was too pained to speak. Sasuke walked up and punched him. "There, you got your punishment, now stop sulking. We have a…_triple_ date to plan." He smirked as he heard Neji slam the door; he had intentionally let the 'triple' part be an octave higher just so that Neji could hear. This would be fun, oh so fun!

Sakura wasn't looking at Naruto, as he looked at her apologetically. Sasuke saw this, and there had to be an end. This date had to settle things, because the wedding date was nearing.

'**kaaay so it seems this will be at most FIVE CHAPTERS I will try to update every few days, but I have testing so don't expect 1,559 words too soon. Just kidding, it will probably be longer, maybe two chapters in one…? So then review and tell me if it is the most horrible thing you have ever read. Oh, and I know. The spelling might be a tad bit repulsive! ^_^ oh and the 5****th****'s refers to Tsunade, just to clear anything up. **


	2. Revenge

**Okay! So I know this story was so hole-y (even a word?) and had a lot of things missing. That's why we have things called chapters, so that we can explain things. And so this is Sasuke's side of the story. Since this is my fic, Sasuke will be a little chatty. And last time it seemed the dividers didn't worked, so just so you know, there were supposed to be lines in specific places, to show scene/setting/day changes. I put some here, so I'm praying they work O=] and the first chapter was Sakura's view, the chapters will be what they saw, not how they narrate it. **

**DiScLaImEr: I am not the mangaka (author of manga) of Naruto, hunny. (There's supposed to be a line divide thing right under this so…yea!)**

_Arigato_

_Chapter Two:_

_Revenge_

_By,_

_\~/AnotherKindOfAsian\~/_

Why, oh why did this have to happen to _this_ Uchiha? Why no the other one, who killed his whole family, why did Sasuke have to go through this torture, why did he have to marry _**her? **_ No offense, she's pretty and all, but as teammates she annoyed him, and…as a couple? He almost puked in his mouth.

He entered into the Hokage's much cluttered office, when he saw a pink haired freak glaring at him in hate, 'Well, at least our feelings are mutual,' he thought. After Tsunade asked him how he had to do this because he knew no other girl in Konoha as well as Sakura, he was almost cornered to say yes.

That's when one of the funniest things in his life happened to Sasuke. Sakura's eyesight was very good, that's a fact. But her hearing was horrible, a deaf person could hear better than her.

As soon as the most boring lecture of all time was over he didn't complain, he just said, "Kill me." That's when Sakura's atrocious hearing came in. She then continued to say something about "forgiving" him and called him Sasuke-kun, he almost died trying to contain the sarcastic remarks, so he just sighed in frustration. She seemed to regret what she said. He, to this day, cannot believe she mistaked "Kill me," for, "I'm sorry."

It seems as though Tsunade's hearing was better than Sakura's so she glared at him, full on force, almost like you-upset-her-and-you-die-in-a-mysterious-accident kind of way. He had no choice to be nice to her. Going against The Hokage wasn't in his ultimate plan. Wow, isn't life just dandy? So he wanted on to get on the Hokage's good side, and that was through Sakura, so he asked her to be his…'_girlfriend'. _ How many times he threw up that night, the world will never know…

Then came the fun part, planning the wedding. He and Sakura planned a party announcing it, failing to invite Naruto (and Ino for some reason couldn't make it so she was going to be told later); Sasuke was planning on a very…_interesting_ way of telling Naruto. So at the party, the roles were assigned, but for one exception, the best man, which was assigned to Naruto, to be told in a week's time. Sasuke was having too much fun planning this.

Not the wedding, of course not** (A/N: He liked planning the wedding, but not getting married to her…at least, not yet =))**. He was looking for a loop hole every day, but it seemed like Tsunade was always watching him, so he always had to be on his best behavior. Kill him, please, nothing could be worse than a wedding with her, but the breaking down Naruto thing was going to be fun, no doubt about that. He then opened the door to the café the wedding party was to meet and heard a banshee scream. God, why did Ino have to be Sakura's best friend?

Tenten and Hinata knew not to scream, why not her?! As he laid low and listened to the story, through Sakura's eyes, he couldn't help but scoff. It sounded as if she didn't want to marry her child hood crush, wow, how gullible that Ino girl was. As he told the whole gang that he finally 'spotted' them, he faced Sakura ad smiled. "It's time for practice." Sasuke said with a venomous smile as Sakura's smile dropped, and the whole wedding party sat down, as the mismatched couple left.

He and Sakura walked in silence through Konoha as pairs of eyes who had heard that inhumanly loud girl scream that they were now dating, thank goodness they hadn't heard the wedding, or else herds of fan girls would be chasing him. He could care less if they trampled Sakura, but he would never let Tsunade figure that out, for all she knew, their relationship was improving. He always was a good actor.

He said a word of good bye to Sakura as he told Naruto, "I have a message from Sakura." And by the way the said girl wouldn't meet Naruto's eye contact, it made sense she asked Sasuke to do it for her. Are all the blondes in this town gullible? That lead him to something, it seemed as if all the blondes of the world were smart, except for the ones he was on a first name basis with. I mean really, the fourth Hokage and the present one, and other people whose names weren't important enough to remember were strong and pretty smart. What a messed up world.

As he lead him deep into the forest, making sure he was always in front of Naruto, just as a way to show how Naruto would always be behind him, he kept at a fast pace, just to make Naruto tired. At this rate, even a ninja would become tired, Sasuke himself was getting a little worn out too. Sasuke suddenly stopped, took a "drink" from the water bottle he had in his hand, and then noticed Naruto staring at him. Being sarcastically polite, he tilted the bottle toward Naruto, silently asking him if he wanted any. Naruto took the bottle, and cleaned it of any traitor germs with his sleeve. So he hadn't forgiven him yet? Figures.

**He then went on to Part One of Mission: Revenge on Naruto.**

"What did Sakura-chan want to tell me?" Naruto still called her that? How pathetic. And here Sasuke thought he had a little bit of dignity.

"She, well, Naruto I don't know how to put it…" He had a look of torn between telling him the truth, and hurting him. Really, he was an _exceptional _actor.

"We…well…we're, getting married." He made direct eye contact; this guy had no mercy, almost as if his eyes would help marinade the fox like boy's body in pain. Naruto laughed.

"Oh wow, Sasuke, you're funny, now really? This is taking away time form my training." "And how you need it." Sasuke mumbled.

"What was that?" Naruto had better hearing than Sakura; Sasuke made a mental note to himself about that.

"I'm not joking. If I could I would try to, but I can't get out of it. You understand right?" Sometimes, Sasuke amazed even himself.

"Yea…sure I do, as long as I'm the best man!" Naruto was trying so hard to put up a front, here goes the fun part.

"Sorry buddy, I was sure she would choose you, I was shocked when she picked me too!" Sasuke was sending out the bait. Naruto bit the bait, and pushed on.

"Choice…? What do you man _choice?" _ Oooohhhh he was getting angry, Sasuke was just so good.

"So you didn't know." Sasuke pretended as if he were talking just so that he himself could hear, "Hate to be the messenger of bad news buddy, but Sakura had a choice between the both of us. When I heard I was thinking about going to congratulate you, but they told me she chose me. When I asked why, she said, 'Because I couldn't hurt Hinata-chan like that, and because Naruto is like a _brother _to me.'" He especially stressed brother, just to deepen the wound.

"Well, it's good she chose me right? I mean, you couldn't protect her, could you? I am stronger than you." Sasuke was pushing Naruto's buttons, and he reacted just as Sasuke predicted.

"Ha-ha, you idiot. I've trained to be a sage, so I could beat your traitor face into a pulp in a minute!" Naruto was playfully joking but then Sasuke did something. He laughed manically, not a hysterical laugh, but an evil and shorter laugh.

"What did you do…?" Naruto seemed to be feeling the effects of the drugged water; after all, Sasuke didn't just learn from Orochimaru, he also learned from Kabuto.

"What? Are you feeling dizzy, is your seal breaking, are you filing with feelings of hate toward me? What a small world. You take away my life goal; I ruin your life, a tooth for a tooth, buddy boy." Sasuke was just on a roll today.

"You…'re…….go…al…? Wha…" Naruto was cut short by the overwhelming pain his seal was creating, so Sasuke took the liberty of adding on more pain.

"Sorry, what? I couldn't quite catch that. Did you mean to ask what I was talking about? Don't play dumb…Although I'm not so sure it's quite so much an act. .Itachi. You took away my meaning. So when I was forced to marry that pink haired freak, I thought, 'why not ruin her, and in turn ruin you?' But then I thought, 'why don't I really fall for her?' It's not like I can really get out of this marriage. And that drug's effects don't wear off, never. Only I have the antidote and its power is triggered by scent, specifically the scent of cherry blossoms, so whenever you near 'Sakura' scented things, you will activate the Kyuubi, and just in the rare chance Sakura wasn't already using cherry blossom flavored shampoo, soap, and perfume I bought her a bath set for it, which I gave her this morning before she went for her shower. I bought her enough to last for about…what? Five years? Maybe more. Isn't karma sweet, just so sickeningly sweet?" Wow, I never thought Sasuke could talk so much.

Naruto on the other hand couldn't speak all that well; the pain was too much to bear. "Never…go…near…Saku…ra…-ch...an..?" Oh, so he could speak. He's stronger than he looks.

"See, look around you, you are **surrounded **by Sakura trees, a pity isn't it? Well, like my now dead brother once told me, live to hate me Kyuubi, live to never be near Sakura again." Sasuke's plan was going into effect; now just too really show him how horrible it might be when Naruto goes near Sakura.

**Part Two of Mission: Revenge on Naruto was put into effect.**

"Don't believe me? Then follow me. And I'll show you how well you can fight near Sakura, how much you can hurt her when you near her." Sasuke's voice was beginning to deepen with hate, so he coughed to clear it again.

"Liar…LIAR!" Naruto then lunged at Sasuke only to feel the Kyuubi start to emerge as he neared Sasuke, who was standing against a Sakura tree. (**A/N: Sakura means cherry blossoms so that's how it all fits together) **A wave of hate and realization crossed Naruto's face.

"Heh, I'll just ask Sakura-chan to use a different perfume, she'll understand." Looks like Naruto could cope with the pain enough for it not to affect his speech.

"I gave it to her, do you think she'll ever stop using it, and how can you say it? Can you _really _stand being the one to cause her pain, to break her heart like that? And what if she doesn't believe you? Besides that, you think you can maintain your human form while within 50 feet of Sakura, and even if you scream to her you know how horrible her hearing is, she can't hear you. And sending her a letter or a note, I live with her; I can get to her mail. Oh but what if you send it to her directly, and not to the house, to her personal message hawk? We now share one since we are both ninja and will soon be married, just because we have a shortage, someone seems to have been attacking them, in other words, I planned everything out the minute I heard the news. " Sasuke sure is chatty today. But he said this with a sly smile, didn't know he was so angry when Naruto took his prey. Oh yes, Naruto killed Itachi.

He thought if he did, Sasuke would come to his senses and return. He did-not with his senses, mind you. Naruto really didn't know Sasuke all that well, but really, who can honestly say they did?

Sasuke then began walking backwards. The he ran, and that's when the explosion happened. Naruto didn't fight it anymore, he unleashed the Kyuubi. And he just used some kind of fire attack. Sasuke could sense Sakura's chakra raise a level in fear, naïve girl. In this state, Naruto couldn't dream of beating her, let alone him.

Soon after, Sasuke emerged from the forest, he and Naruto about 150 meters from the Sakura garden, and he saw Sakura leaning across the bridge, as nonchalantly as ever, but you could see the faint signs of worry in her body language. The crossed arms, the tapping foot, the way she bit her lip when he stood across from her and didn't explain. And the way Naruto just attacked. He could see her trying to analyze why Naruto had so much chakra, then she noticed how he was still, using his sage mode to try and top the power the Kyuubi was trying to force out since his proximity with Sakura was much too close. Sakura took that as an excuse, "it's his sage chakra," while Sasuke was thinking, "Yea right, like that could put out the Kyuubi's power." Poor boy, it would take one straight month of gathering sage chakra to overpower the Kyuubi.

And that's when he said it, "Oh just _**greeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttt!!**_" Sasuke sighed, pretending as if he just noticed Naruto trying to activate his sage powers. That's when Kakashi just appeared in with a cloud of light gray smoke as a shield. Instructing them to use the battlefield if they wanted to fight, Kakashi wasn't the only one who wanted to see this fight.

As the whole reunited team 7 made it to field eight, Sakura seated herself against a branch pretty high up in a birch tree, with Kakashi standing against the trunk, refereeing the match. Sasuke then took off his weapons pouches, Naruto didn't. He looked around for a place to put them, and then glanced up at Sakura, then at Naruto again. Sasuke then proceeded to jump up and place them in Sakura's lap while he pecked her cheek; this wasn't to irritate Naruto, like he had said he was allowing himself to fall for her.

Sure, before he vaguely mentioned allowing himself to return Sakura's feelings, but he had begun noticing little things about her. How she seemed to stand out-and not because of her hair, he actually glared at a girl on the street who called her a pink haired freak, only he could call her that. And only when he was sure there were none of Tsunade's spies watching over him, much like the only recent time with Naruto in the sakura tree clearing.

And that's when Sasuke let the dominoes fall. He didn't often get the chance to be near Naruto in the battle, so he had to resort to punches to get near the dobe. Yes, I was thinking the same thing, why in the world would he want to get near his enemy? To provoke him. To anger him.

To destroy him.

He would whisper things like, "Should I pass on any messages to Sakura for you?" Or, "I wonder how she'll feel when she sees you avoiding her." And even a few like, "I wonder how Hinata will feel when you reject her offer to go watch the Sakura Blossoming event with her, and she was looking oh so forward to it!"

Naruto would flinch every time Sasuke mentioned the two girls' names. But he kept telling himself, I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can live without her.

I can't live without Hinata.

That's when he _really _understood the last word of provokement **(A/N: Is that even a word???) **Sasuke had mentioned. That's when his anger-not the Kyuubi- was released. He swung at Sasuke no matter where he would be, only to hit his shadow. That's when Sasuke- for a hair split of a second- appeared behind Sakura, and stayed there for a moment longer than all the other places he had stayed. Naruto devised a split second plan and wanted to corner Sasuke form the back and front. He had completely forgotten Sakura. To him, it was like he was lost in reverie, and looking at beating Sasuke as the only way of waking up.

As always, it seemed as though Kakashi was hardly paying attention, and really he wasn't, only those four (maybe three) were paying attention to the battle, no one else had seen anything**(A/N: So there will be no thing where someone comes and accuses Sasuke and he falls to his knees begging Sakura and Naruto for forgiveness. Not in my story, but don't worry, it'll still be interesting)**. This silver haired sensei didn't even notice Sasuke lead Naruto into a mine field and make him inadvertently attack Sakura. But, in Sakura's side, we saw how she saw Naruto attack Sasuke, then purposely attack her. Sasuke's Sharingan had developed quite nicely; he even unlocked a new 'level' where he could manipulate someone's senses, he had just tweaked Sakura's vision a little, his chest pained a little. He would ask Sakura to check it out later.

And that's when the tide turned even more to his favor, and he became the hero. Knowing that rasengan-weakened or not- would hurt like the dickens. **(A/N: W-o-W that was really corny. Sorry!) **But he didn't care; he just then realized that if he didn't Sakura would get hurt, Tsunade's impending anger never crossed his mind. So he took a leap of faith and threw Sakura out of the way when she noticed that she had underestimated Naruto, and he was burned by the wind. He then snickered when he saw how she –with unnecessary force- knocked Naruto out. The last words he heard were "Trust me," and for the first time in almost twelve years, he did.

And that's when-two minutes and thirteen seconds later- he awoke with a heated muscle pain on his bed, Naruto sprawled on the floor, the way you throw your old comfy sneakers into the closet when you outgrow them. He felt like if Sakura came in she would think he was sweet for helping Naruto even though he was hurt by him, not counting the fact that Sasuke and Sakura liked having it a bit chilly in their room and Naruto was shivering like a five year old having experienced brain freeze for the first time. Clever, clever Sasuke, good thing Sakura never left your side, although it wasn't that hard, she had fallen for him…again.

That's when his senses were fully returned, probably because the numbing medicine was wearing off, and the pain's work shift was on. As his hearing slowly returned, he could hear the faint whispers of, "I'm sorry we can't go out right now…I know we planned this but, well…things took a turn for the worst." Sakura's voice was higher, more frustrated than ever, but the people at the door's….Neji, Tenten? Yea, it was definitely them. Theirs were calm, trying to coax an answer out of the pink haired kunoichi (female ninja) leaning against the door frame. She would break down soon, only then did he realize what the hokage would do to him…old age had treated Tsunade well.

Suddenly appearing by his fiancée's side and casually laying his arm over her shoulders, he explained the situation, comforting Sakura when she needed it, and then his ears twitched, he hear a groan. Good thing that drug wiped out all recent memories, roughly about the last fifteen minutes. God, did Sasuke owe Kabuto. That's when he alerted Neji, through just a tilt of his head and a flaring of his Sharingan that the 'fox had awoken.' The tilt meaning whatever was upstairs, and the Sharingan flare that Neji should stay on his guard. Sakura then invited them in, knowing that it would be a bad idea if they went out in public too soon and yet they had to keep their plans because ninja these days didn't get much personal time. That's when the slightly lesser mismatched pair made their way up the twelve bamboo steps, Sakura having ruined his bandages and all. He vaguely heard Neji complement him as the Hyuuga seated himself in the leather sofa Tenten had already seated herself on, Sasuke smirked. His acting skills had to be well oiled for this part.

**Part Three of Mission: Revenge on Naruto began.**

He punched Naruto. Well, what did you expect him to do? The boy –not man – was sulking because when he had heard that the story about him trying to hurt his precious teammates was true, not at all remembering the talk in the Cherry Blossom grove. Trying to up the mood, and anger Neji, Sasuke mentioned a triple date.

"We _all know _you've been dying to ask Hinata out, maybe ramen, just for a start though. But don't think you can take a high class girl like her to eat ramen every day, although since she's with you I don't think she'd mind…" Wow, had Sasuke been replaced by a talk-a-holic robot?

Naruto was heavily drinking the water next to him; it seemed to be relaxing his urge to lash out the Kyuubi, had something happened…? Sasuke noticed this, and laughed, denying when Sakura asked and saying it was nothing just remembering something. The Uchiha survivor had placed a ten hour antidote for the drug in the water, he was planning on slipping some in again on Naruto's thirtieth bowl of ramen, just to be sure, never too much of a good thing.

**Wow….seven pages…3,623 words…I'm just **_**so **_**good. Joking, joking. Well it turns out that this story **will** be five chapters…wondering if it was a bad thing making Sasuke such a big villain, but it makes sense, right? RIGHT?! Ha-ha, well review. And I know, the last chapter was horrible. Read&Review!**

_Sincerely,_

_\~/AnotherKindOfAsian\~/_

_(Check out my two other stories that I will be updating soon!!!!!!!!!)_


	3. All the Right Wrongs

**Hi :D don't hate me because I haven't updated in so long!!! I'll be updating kinda soon. Just got my own laptop but my parents took it away for most of break -____-**

_Arigato_

_Chapter Three:_

_All the Right Wrongs_

_By,_

_AnotherKindOfAsian_

Naruto didn't make eye contact with Sakura. Hinata knew this was bad, but she couldn't help being a little happy at the extra attention she was receiving.

Sasuke kept his arm wrapped around Sakura's waist. They headed into Sakura Cavern. Sasuke noticed how Naruto kept his cool, although his chakra levels were a bit off. Just as planned. Sakura panicked when she saw his sharingan on [to see Naruto's chakra], but he reassured her it was only a safety precaution.

Was it Sakura or was her fiancee being a tad bit nicer than usual...like more than he was since they were engaged.

It was 12:43 when Naruto had taken the antidote. It was now 7:20. Naruto only had a few more hours. The Sakura Cavern was Konoha's FINEST restaurant. Of course, being their ANBU selves the six ninjas were admitted quite quickly. But they weren't seated quickly because they were ANBU—that was a secret. They were admitted quickly since they were in the top 10 of Konoha's strongest ninja.

Naruto had a Blue suit on, with a the same color dark blue shirt underneath and an orange tie, I have to admit, he did look dashing with his hair licked back. Neji's hair was the same. Like hell he would cut it. But Sasuke-he was the star. He didn't ave his hair slicked back. It was the same as usual. H wore a suit like Naruto's, but _better_.

His suit was a deep black, almost black. His jacket was wrapped around Sakura, the Uchiha emblem proudly embroidered on the back.

He had a black suit and a ...pink tie. With the Uchiha symbol on it, but with the colors of the Haruno family, red white and pink.

Simply said, he was stunning.

But that wasn't why everyone was staring at him, Sakura wasn't any old thing either.

She had on a skin tight dress that had a halter top, was green, and had a thigh high slit running up the left leg, with the Uchiha symbol on her back, and white sakura petals falling down her whole dress. Her hair was hanging out-a rare sight- and reached the arc in her back. [she has long hair] and she was sporting her HUGE engagement ring, one only an ANBU captain could afford.

Neji wore a beige suit, and Tenten had on a red silk button down shirt, and Hinata wore a Dark Blue silk cocktail dress.

Tenten had on a yellow bubble dress, the Hyuuga sign hanging around her neck. And as they entered the restaurant, Sasuke asked, "For three tables, all around the 239 Year old Sakura tree," which was the centerpiece of the mohagony dining venue.

He checked the time. 7:43, exactly three hours.

**Like it???**


	4. Wind on a Balcony

**The last chapter sucked. I repeated things and 2038483 things made no sense. Typos = death.**

**I'll try to make it up [: Just to clear it up, Tenten is wearing a red button down shirt and a black pencil skirt, and Sasuke's suit is dark blue, almost black.**

_Arigato_

_Chapter Four:_

_Wind on a Balcony_

_By,_

_AnotherKindOfAsian_

Did I ever mention how much I disliked Naruto? Like really, he killed my target. Loser.

Lots of times I wondered what would happen if Sakura found out. Not gonna happen. But, if by some strange way it does, I'm prepared.

**Scenario One:**

Sasuke! I found out about you and Naruto! How COULD you???!

I did it for love, baby! I couldn't stand to know that Naruto had feelings for you, I'm sorry I'm so jealous!

Oh, _Sasuke!_ (falls gracefully into my arms)

**Scenario Two:**

SASUKE!!!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO NARUTO ??? ARE YOU AN IDIOT??? AND TO THINK I LIKED YOU! GAHHHH!

(Knock her out)

Sakura?? Are you ok?? You passed out!

Huh...what?

You said something about Naruto, then passed out, what did he do to you??

Oh, I guess I was just stressed..

Lie down and just rest, okay?

Ok...I love you....(falls asleep)

And that's what would happen. But eh, let's get back to now.

We were seated in pairs, first was Sakura and I, next was Hinata and Naruto, and next was Neji and Tenten. This was planned out.

If-no, _when _Naruto pounced on Sakura, I would be the first to save her and not Neji who was on the other side of the tree.

As they sat down, I noticed Naruto staring at Sakura. Much like the other men in the room, but they just liked her looks. Naruto was looking at her eyes. As I turned to see her eyes, I saw what he saw.

Just the way she smiled at me as I pulled out her chair, I could die right here...**(sorry for overboard AU-character!)**

"Sasuke...?"

"Oh sorry, here." I pushed her chair in and sat down. Within moments a waiter arrived at the two other tables and a waitress arrived at ours. I don't like the way those waiters are staring at Sakura.

"May I take your orders?" This waitress was okay, but paled in comparison to Sakura.

"I'll have the Fettuccine Alfredo, and you, Sakura?"

I raised an eyebrow, as I saw her bite her lower lip in thought, "The same!" she said with a cute but beautiful tone.

In a few minutes our food arrived, a bit slower than the others since all the waitresses were fighting over who would send us our meals.

Idiots.

Sakura ate peacefully, glancing occasionally at her engagement ring.

"Is this really...okay with you?" I asked as I swallowed my last bite.

The plates were taken away before she replied.

"What do you mean?" She knew very well what I meant.

"The engagement, I know you prefer Naruto, but.."

"Everything happens for a reason, right?"

I didn't know how to respond. So I asked a question.

"Sakura..what do you think of me?"

Naruto's fork dropped in a shattering noise and the whole room quieted to a dull roar.

"I...umm....." Her face turned crimson red and she grabbed my hand as she led me out the balcony that was about 20 feet from our table.

"Why would you ask something like that in public??!?!"

"Answer me."

She wouldn't look me in the eyes, had her arms crossed, and her hair was blowing in the wind as she searched the night sky for an escape.

I walked closer to the door, seeing my coat left hanging on the back of her chair in the restaurant disappear as I closed the doors. My sleeves had been rolled up ever since our food had arrived.

I walked closer to her; one of her arms was straight while the other hung onto it for dear life. She then let that clutching hand fall to the side and closed it in a fist as I got closer.

Her face was still turned away, and her bangs covered her eyes but I could still see the strip of red that reached form cheek to cheek.

I walk closer.

She starts to turn her head.

I put my hand on her cheek.

She turns her face away.

I step into her line of vision.

I put my left hand behind her back.

And then I-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Suddenly Neji bursts in.

His clothes are torn, and he's covered in blood.

"Nar...u...to....Ky....uu....bi...he......lp.."

Sakura clutches my shirt, and she starts to tremble as Neji's fallen body acts as a door stopper, giving us the full view of the now-destroyed restaurant.

This isn't what was supposed to happen...

**I love reviews, my BFLL fic will be updated soon.**

**Sayonara,**

**AnotherKindOfAsian**


	5. Don't!

Neji could be healed, Naruto only had one tail.

God, could he chose a worse time? I mean I like Sakura and I almost had her.

This bastard would pay.

Sasuke walked into the restaurant, yelling for Sakura to stay. It's hard to move in a dress.

He tapped Naruto, and then as the red beast turned to face the red-eyed demon, a shriek was heard.

Hinata had just arrived from her voyage to the bathroom.

WOW, this was almost too funny. Losing two girls in one night? Sasuke almost broke a smile.

Almost.

His acting skills were top-notch, y'know. So he had to do something heroic. Part of him really wanted to calm Naruto down and let him have a happy ending, but that wasn't possible. Naruto was too far into Sasuke's plan to ever be happy.

See, Sasuke was re-thinking his whole ruin Naruto thing. He might not lean towards death, but life-long suffering. Sounded more like a legacy.

So he punched Naruto in the stomach, his eyes watering, no, or was that blood? Eh.

Naruto wasn't a little boy anymore. Sage mode was nothing compared to Kyuubi. He was wild, he had no plan. All Naruto knew was that he was sad. So Sasuke knew telling him about Sakura would be a tad bit dangerous. Speaking of her, why is her chakra coming towards Sasuke?

Oh shit.

"Damn it, Sakura! Don't!"

Naruto was out in one blow. Sakura's hair was stringy, her cheeks ashen, and her dressed ripped. Sasuke looked at her arched back as her hands rested on her knees and her breaths came furiously.

"Sakura?"

Punches like that didn't just _happen_. They took a lot of training, and a lot of build-up. Half of your mind telling you to not do it and obey Sasuke didn't make it easier. Sasuke took off his shirt, and tied the sleeves around Sakura's waist, pushing her against him.

That cut in her dress was way too flattering. She was too flushed to blush. She quickly swallowed her weariness, and pushed her hair back into a messy ponytail, only to realize she didn't have a hairband. She let her hair fall down and let out a sigh of exhaustion.

Naruto was breathing like a dying dog, laying sprawled out on the floor. ANBU shouldn't look like this.

CRAP, NEJI! Sasuke went to the doorway to see TeTen helping Neji off the ground, trying to use her amateur skills to heal the gash on her chest that looked the ugliest.

Sasuke noticed his eye was still bleeding, only after Sakura had put her hand up to it.

"Crap, Sakura! That hurts like hell!"

"Oh, shut up. ANBU shouldn't be wussies."

Sasuke would glare at her, except he was one eye short. Soon, her hand slipped back, but the pain still stinging at him. Sakura's eyes were tracing his left eye, analyzing it and dissecting it.

"What's wrong?" The stinging didn't feel good, and Sasuke assumed it didn't look that way either.

"Your eye was bleeding. But, I fixed it. It shouldn't bleed anymore."

"Hah, Sakura, hun, it bleeds everytime I use it to do a ninjustsu." Sasuke was trying to be sensitive, but it came off as more sarcastic. He winced his face a little, to show he didn't mean it like that.

Sakura smirked a bit, looking down, taking a breath and prepating herself.

"I healed it. No more problemos. You should be fine." She looked at him, grinned, and pushed back his bang that had fallen onto his face.

This girl was too cool. Sasuke's admiration was turning, bit-by-bit, into passion. He looked around, Naruto could cover the costs of the damage, but the responsibility of being set loose would plague him.

Score


	6. A Willful Muse

**Hey guys :] So I hoped all of you liked my story, and thanks for the reviews 3**

_Arigato_

_Chapter Six:_

_A Willful Muse_

_By,_

_AnotherKindOfAsian_

A long time had passed since the dinner, erm, party.

Sasuke and Sakura were plagued by their wedding preparations. Sasuke had no idea how much detail went into such an event, but both of them were ANBU captains and had money to splurge. Actually, Sasuke was given the ability to become an ANBU captain from Sakura's recommendations. He made a mental note to thank her.

Sakura was just eating Cup Noodles. Going to the ramen shop was too dangerous. Recently, Naruto had been spazzing out every time she went near him, He would get angry, and it took all of his power not to attack her. Sasuke was out on a mission, so she couldn't risk getting hurt and now having her bodyguard.

She had to admit, was in love with that man. He was sincere, but he remained his stoic self. Sasuke would only smile for a second, but he meant it. She had seen dark things in his eyes, but he would tell her when the time was right. She just knew it.

Sakura squealed as the hot water had sprinkled itself onto her crossed legs. Her baggy capris and pink tee were also splattered, but she didn't notice. She put her hair up into a bun and went to go fetch a napkin. She traced over this empty house. Before, Sasuke had been living with her, but they had moved onto the Uchiha complex. Sakura was dead-set against it. Who knows if his avenger self would stumble upon some horrible secret and relapse into his demonic self?

She shook the thought out of her head, causing her bun to loosen. Crap, she needed to start fixing her hair up. Sakura didn't want to just have pretty hair, she wanted perfect hair. That meant getting it treated at least a week before the wedding. Would you look at that, the wedding is in eight days.

She didn't like walking through town on her own. People looked at her weirdly. To be honest, she had changed; she was more refined. Not to say she was snobby, but she was Sakura, except a brighter color. She was more mature, yet more whimsical. Something changed about her, and she found it delightful. Although, Konoha found it disturbing. She wouldn't prance around or anything like that, she would just walk with a passion, and look at everyone as if she loved them.

Sasuke didn't like that, but he's meeting with the Kazekage. Some arrangements that an ANBU captain _should not_ be handling, but who the hell cares. She's freaking getting married.

Oh crap, she missed the hair place. Sakura didn't know this part of Konoha well, she always had grown her hair out so a place to cut it was never really an option. Now, she needed her hair styled. Crap Crap Crap. Ino would definitely know what to do.

She smelled her way to the flower shop and saw Shikamaru staring at flowers and capturing their shadows. He really is bored. Weirdo.

Sakura smiled at him with her eyes closed, then hit th bell on the front desk, hering ruffling and seeing Ino. Her hair was frizzy, but in a natural way. She was looking beautiful. Still, Sakura had to get her hair did and all that jazz.

"Ino, where can I get my hair done?"

"Your wedding is in like a week, what are you doing?"

"I want to prepare it!"

"Holy crap, Sakura. You can't do that."

Sakura was looking at Ino's face for a sign of sarcasm, but all she saw was curiosity.

Well, her hair would stay a rat's nest. She sighed and went away, sulking on her own.

That's when she heard someone call her a very, very nasty name.

"SAI!"

Puuuuuunch.

Knock out. That's how you do it. Sai rubbed his cheek as he stood up, and congratulated Sakura on her engagement. He couldn't come, because he was going to Naruto's wedding.

"What?"

"His wedding. He announced it two days ago. Ugly, try to pay attention, will you?" That smile irked Sakura, but she was more worried about Naruto. She knew he had a "thing" for her, but he had something good going with Hinata for the last few months.

They are _perfect_ for each other, but that's not enough. They're rushing into it. What the hell are they doing.

"Where's Hinata?"

"What does she have to do with this?"

Sakura looked awed. How the hell could Hinata **not** have anything to do with this? Oh crap. This was not happening. Naruto couldn't do this to Hinata, she had just started to come out of her iron-clad shell.

"Whose he marrying?" Sakura looked like she could care less, but God, she was a mess.

"This girl named Karin. She came back with Sasuke a while back."

What? Huh? Her?

Sakura knew her. She was obsessed with Sasuke, but Karin was still a child; possessive and rash.

Perfect for a shot-gun marriage.

Sasuke and Sakura had been engaged for almost 4 months now, and everyone knew they were in love. Naruto had known Karin for 4 months, but they never talked. Karin liked Naruto in the way you like your crush's brother. It was friendliness by association.

She had short red hair, or maybe it was long. Sakura didn't really care.

She wasn't a total slut, she was young, but she shouldn't dress like that. I mean, she was pretty.

Sakura just thought she didn't have the right attitude for marriage. She didn't know where Karin lived.

"Do you know where she lives? I might as well give her my congrats."

Sai looked at her in amusement, she mentally punched him and followed his simple directions.

The house was right outside the back of the Uchiha complex. She saw how a messy paint job lavished the house, and she heard yelling. A lot of yelling.

Karin was pushing Naruto out of the house, even though he was shirtless. His eyes looked so much more heavier and his voice was strained.

"Karin, don't be a BLEEEEEP!"

A crash was heard inside. Naruto steadied himself, then kicked the door down.

Sakura made a small cough, and Naruto glared at her as soon as he saw pink.

"Leave."

And she was gone. Naruto wasn't hers anymore. He was engaged; he knew what this meant.

Ah, it's only been an hour. Sakura felt tears fall from her face, but didn't wipe the away. She tilted her head back, her bun falling loose, and blowing in the wind. She stopped, picked up her hair tie and wiped her eyes.

It wasn't a messy kind of tears, it was clean and decisive. She had let go of Naruto. Maybe she shouldn't have. Maybe she should have tried to salvage their relationship.

No, he hurt Neji. He wasn't even in Kyuubi mode when he hurt Neji. Sakura didn't understand. Neji was fine now, yea, completely okay. He just had a huge scar on his chest.

Tenten waited beside him the whole 2 days he was out after the surgery. He woke to her face.

Now, that's damn cute. Sakura giggled to herself and sighed. At least now they're in a relationship. Sakura honestly had no idea what they were doing; they weren't dating, they were more like courting.

Anyways, they were exclusive. She always thought if worse came to worse, she could always marry Naruto.

It's funny how your dreams can just be replaced by one person.

Sakura didn't see what Naruto saw in Karin. She wondered if he saw anything at all.


	7. I Don't Know Why You Say Goodbye

I know in the first chapter I said they were 20, but they're 23. So, yea.

Mistake that cannot and should not be fixed.

Enjoy (:

Last chapter was really choppy, I apologize.

_Arigato_

_Chapter Seven:_

_I Don't Know Why You Say Goodbye_

_By,_

_AnotherKindOfAsian_

This was a freaking beautiful day. I'm walking through the grass, I can feel flower petals on my hands, and there's one of those freaking amazing summer breezes.

Sasuke felt nice.

He had just been dismissed from Sand and was in Konoha. Okay, well he hadn't _just_ been dismissed, but time didn't matter to him right now.

He avoided coming in through one of the gates. He sent a messenger hawk to eh Hokage maybe an hour or a day ago about how he'll be entering in how own damn freaking way. He's a rebel.

Sasuke still wanted her to know, Tsunade could get pissed, and I mean _pissed_.

It was a beautiful place—this meadow.

So lush, so peaceful. It was nothing like he'd ever known, and that's what made it so familiar.

Okay, so I'm becoming a poet. Big deal.

Sasuke, on the other hand, wasn't being anything. Almost like a scarecrow.

He stopped, spread his arms, and let himself fall.

Then he heard the yelling. The man was obviously Naruto, and the other was this girl he strung along to find Itachi. Kiran or something.

WAIT NO, HER NAME WAS KARIN. Sasuke didn't get things wrong. Ever.

If this was five minutes ago, he wouldn't care why they were together.

This was now. Sasuke was being pulled back into reality with subtle sounds and worries. He hadn't really tried to make full contact with Naruto ever since the Dobe slashed Neji, but someone needed to make the yelling stop.

Sasuke only then realized he was in a field of Forget Me Nots.

His mother's favorite. Sakura liked them a lot too, it would be her bouquet color. Ah, Sakura. He was slowly being pulled back into his own world, when he started walking in anger.

He didn't know why at first, but he processed what happened in his head.

Sensed Sakura's chakra.

Sensed Naruto say something.

Sakura ran away.

Dude, don't mess with your friend's girl. Not cool.

Sasuke slowed his pace down abruptly and ran his fingers through his hair. His ANBU uniform was moving with him effortlessly, and his mask made subtle clacking sounds as it tapped against his leg.

Sasuke liked this kind of time. "The peace before the storm" as Kakashi liked to call it.

Sasuke noticed a brick wall in the distance. He stopped. It was the outskirts of his complex. Did his mother know about this garden?

He sighed as the pain filtered from his head down through his shoulders.

Family was a sore subject for a lonely person.

He jumped the wall and ran through _his_ village.Sakura wasn't at home.

He laughed at himself; he was calling it home again. When did he stop?

He thought back to when he heard the calling, he ran to the location. ANBU training had heightened his senses. Not only that, he remembered what he sensed. It was like everything became a memory.

Naruto was shirtless. Ew.

Karin was basically throwing a hissy fit. She never dared to do that to Sasuke. He doesn't deal with people like that.

"Naruto."

"—I told you to take it inside! Now look, our neighbors are going to scold us. All your fault. Ugh." Karin mumbled as she ended the argument to face Sasuke.

"You look amazing!"

"Naruto, can we talk?"

"Don't ignore her, Sasuke. She'll get mad."

"Oh, Naruto, no I won't! Am I like that? Am I?"

"No, darling."

Sasuke didn't want to hear this.

"Fine then. I really don't care where it is. Just tell me what happened to Hinata."

"Everything. Karin, can you go inside? Please?"

"Umm, sure, Naruto." Karin was not used to this grieving obedience. She was too confused to argue.

"She didn't like what she saw." Naruto scoffed. "Her 'idol' turned into a demon."

"Did you even give her time? Naruto, people don't get over things like that quickly."

"What is there to get over! She _knew_ I could get like that and she still—"

"No. Has she ever seen you like that? She was scared for you, not for herself. besides, you basically almost killed her cousin. How the hell should she react to that?"

"I'm not apologizing to Neji."

Sasuke looked at Naruto long and hard. The conversation had been tense, but pretty monotone. Where was all the emotion in this guy? Oh, right.

Sasuke almost smiled.

Almost.

Why did he ask about Hinata, anyway?

His thoughts were cut short.

"Why the hell aren't you apologizing? He was unconscious for two days. You weren't even in Kyuubi mode when you attacked him!"

All words were stopped as Sakura came stomping back from wherever she was, tear marks evident on her face.

She wasn't crying now, but she was before. Oh hell no. Sasuke had seen her like that before when he said she had to dye her hair black as a joke. She was angry about something.

Naruto was gonna get in trouble.

Sasuke smirked. Time for our hot-shot to take his leave.

Sakura was about twenty feet away when Sasuke shouted.

"I'll be in _our_ house, call if you need anything."

Sakura liked that about him. He gave her space. He didn't need to hold her hand to know she was his.

She saw Sasuke jump over a wall and disappear, his chakra never too far away. She pivoted toward Naruto and slapped him.

Not a playful little tap, but a slap. It wasn't chakra filled or anything, but that's what made it hurt.

Chakra hits meant Sakura was mad. These types on hits meant she was sad.

Naruto gave up on this girl. He had a grudge against her, and he didn't know why.

"Heh, I'm assuming that was supposed to mean 'Hello'?"

Sakura looked at him. She didn't eye him. She didn't say a word. She just looked at him, smiled, watched his eyes grow big, and walked away.

Naruto had given up on this girl.

He didn't know if she had done the same to him.


End file.
